From January 1 of this year, buying a new car means having one more year of warranty. The guarantee of a new car is 3 years, instead of 2 as it was until now. This is due to a modification of the General Law for the Defense of Consumers and Users through Royal Decree Law 7/2021 of April 27.
This measure to increase the guarantee of a new vehicle came into force from January 1. It is supposed to be a boost to the sale of new cars, which is already quite affected for the two reasons that we have already mentioned:

• Drop in sales due to the coronavirus crisis. Since the labor problems have stopped the investment of families in new cars.
• Delay in the delivery of new cars, which has boosted the sale of used cars. In this modification of this general law, it is also established that vehicle manufacturers must insure spare parts for cars for 10 years (instead of 5 as established until now.

New car warranty changes

The truth is that it has been a measure well received by users since it saves money on quite important breakdowns. We will see if this increase in warranty has an impact on sales since, today, due to the scarcity of raw materials, mainly electronic chips, the delivery dates of new vehicles are being delayed.
At present, it is still more expensive to buy a second-hand car or a second-hand car due to the enormous delay in the delivery of new cars.
The increase in the time in which car manufacturers are obliged to guarantee that there will be spare parts will contribute to extending the useful life of cars. And this also affects the pockets of vehicle owners in the event of breakdowns or incidents.
It is true that many brands and dealers already offered longer warranties and even extra services. This served as an advertising claim to attract more customers.

More guarantees for the car buyer

They are not the only guarantees of new cars that are reinforced with this legal modification.
Manufacturers are obliged to repair the car in case of original faults or electrical, electronic or mechanical breakdowns. It is something that already existed until now, but with two peculiarities:

• Until now the term was 6 months and now it becomes 2 years.
• The consumer is obliged to pass the reviews required by the manufacturer. The only requirement to benefit from this protection in the event of a failure of origin.

Guarantee of a used or second-hand car

The new regulations also affect second-hand and used cars. The guarantee increases up to two years unless a different term is established in the sales contract.
In addition, if the vehicle has any type of previous breakdown or fault, it must be included in the written contract. Otherwise, if the car breaks down during the 12 months after its purchase, the buyer has the right to claim the repair of the vehicle from the seller.
Actually, the 2-year warranty for second-hand cars already existed before, but with some differences.
Until January 1, 2022, the guarantee could be reduced from 2 years to 1 if it was so established in the purchase contract, even verbally. With the new legal modification, this reduction must be clearly reflected in the contract or else it will be considered by default as a 2-year guarantee.
At Coches Ocasión 4all we previously offered a warranty extension of up to 24 months on all our vehicles.

What does a car warranty cover?

Well you already know that the legal guarantee of new cars has risen from 2 to 3 years since January 1. But surely you still have many doubts about what this guarantee specifically covers. Especially if you are considering buying a car for the first time.
I will briefly explain what the warranty of a new car covers:

• Repair coverage in the event of breakdowns caused by manufacturing faults.
• It also covers all breakdowns that are not caused by lack of car maintenance or wear and tear.
• The warranty period increases in the same period that the car has been in a workshop to carry out a breakdown repair (that is, that period in the workshop does not count in the period elapsed in the guarantee).
  Of course, keep in mind that most brands require as a condition to benefit from the guarantee that the car passes its revisions in an official workshop. It is the way for them to ensure that the vehicle is not being misused that could cause future breakdowns.
  Also, you should not forget that these guarantees do not cover:
• Breakdowns resulting from accidents or vandalism, etc.
• Faults caused by normal wear and tear on the vehicle due to use or lack of proper maintenance by the owner.
• Nor does it cover changing tires, brake fluid, oil, filters, etc. that are part of the regular maintenance of the vehicle. As I mentioned in the first point, if a breakdown occurs due to a lack of proper maintenance in these aspects, this will not be covered by the manufacturer’s legal guarantee.
  In short, the new legislation protects the buyer a little more from manufacturers and dealers, as many consumer associations have been demanding.
  Even so, you should never lose sight of the fact that the best guarantee is to buy your vehicle from a trusted dealer that offers additional guarantees and the trust of thousands of satisfied customers.
  This is the case of Coches Ocasión 4all as you can easily verify through the opinions of our clients.